Burn
by Soul Of Manga
Summary: Kakashi has a past with Sakura, that she herself doesn't know about. Team Seven is sent to the Village hidden in the flames, and Kakashi doesn't like it. What is up? KakaSaku. CHAPTER FOUR IS UP!
1. Her Homeland

**A/N - Hello, I know I have a lot of stories going already, but I work better when I'm multi-tasking! So, don't worry! I will update, when you guys review!

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**Burn **

**Chapter One: Her Homeland **

"Come on," Naruto pleaded with the Hokage, in an annoying voice, "Give us a _real_ mission this time!"

Sakura sighed; _Naruto is getting more, and more, annoying everyday._

Sasuke, stood off to the side with his arms crossed, and Kakashi Sensei stood just behind Naruto, trying to calm him down.

"Umm," The third Hokage said in response.

"Please?" Naruto said, putting his hands together, and half-bowing to the Hokage, "Pretty please."

"Alright," The Hokage decided, nodding slightly, "This is an important mission I'm sending you four to help rebuild a ninja village."

"Rebuild?" Sakura asked in curiosity.

"Yes," The Hokage clarified, "I want you three to rebuild a ninja village that before was destroyed by leaf."

"We're they our enemy?" Sakura asked.

"They once declared war on us," The Hokage explained, "But we have signed a contract that says we will neither fight with, nor against. We will help each other when necessary."

"So, basically, a treaty of neutral territory," Sakura said.

"Exactly," The Hokage said, "if we don't attack them, they don't us. They don't attack us, we don't attack them."

"Okay," Naruto spoke up, "So, what the hell do we do, then?"

"This certain village wants to rebuild themselves," The Hokage explained, "and they asked for help, so, I'm sending you four to help rebuild the village hidden in the flames."

"NO!"

Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and even the Hokage himself jumped as Kakashi's booming voice filled the room.

Everyone turned to stare at him, as he continued in his little speech.

"ARE YOU INSANE?" Kakashi yelled, "THE VILLAGE HIDDEN IN THE FLAMES, THEY…_HE_…"

"Would be long dead by now, Kakashi," The Hokage said, "Now, I'll ask you to please lower your tone with me, Kakashi."

Kakashi obliged, lowering his tone, but his rant on the Hokage didn't, "why would you send us...her there!"

Kakashi pointed a finger at Sakura, who was clueless to what Kakashi was talking about. Naruto, and Sasuke looked at her, and she shrugged at them with wide eyes.

"Kakashi I am sure that that will never happen again," The Hokage insisted, "Now, you will go to the village hidden in the flames and help them rebuild themselves."

Kakashi glared darkly at the Hokage, which Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, had never seen him do before.

_Kakashi sensei seems so up tight about this mission,_ Sakura thought to herself, _I wonder why, and I wonder what I have to do with it._

Kakashi sighed, turned and addressed Team Seven, "Let's go."

Kakashi walked out of the room, without even bowing to the Hokage, who sighed, and seemed to shrug it off.

Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke glanced at the Hokage, before bowing and leaving to follow Kakashi.

Rin walked in as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura left, and she walked up to the Hokage, but before she could speak the Hokage did.

"Don't even start with me, Rin," The Hokage said, raising a hand to silence her, "Kakashi already tried."

"She's not even completely healed, yet," Rin said, ignoring the Hokage advice, "And she doesn't even know why!"

"Rin, let me ask you something," The Hokage, said.

Rin fell silent, and stare at the Hokage, waiting for his question.

"What are the odds that she will ever be _able_ to get better?" The Hokage asked.

"That's not the point," Rin said.

"Just answer the question," The Hokage said.

Rin sighed, answering, "Two point six percent."

"Rin, that is a low number," The Hokage said, "That's nothing."

"No, it's something," Rin contradicted, "its hope...for her."

"If she wants to cling to a hope that's barely there then so be it," The Hokage said, "But it's not going to get in the way of her duty as a ninja of Konoha."

"What about her weekly check ups?" Rin asked, "Ever since that time, I've given her check ups every week, or so."

"Sakura has gone on missions before, without you going to give her check ups," The Hokage pointed out.

"But this is the first time she'll see the flames," Rin said, and then added, "Her Homeland."

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**A/N - Haha, I know, it's really evil to make the first chapter a cliffy, but that's what it's going to be! Haha! Oh, and I'll probably going to tweak Kakashi's age, well, either his or the three students. So, don't be mad, it just works out later a bit better. So, yeah, please review! I don't update, if you don't review! Haha! I'm going to say...fifteen reviews, then I'll update. If that number doesn't workout, then I'll change it.**


	2. As Simple As That

**A/N - I know I said after fifteen reviews, but I just couldn't wait that long. **

**The ages…**

**Kakashi – 25**

**Sakura – 18**

**Naruto – 18**

**Sasuke – 19**

**And to make the ages work, I'm going to changing the time ages of when they became a team…**

**Kakashi from 26 to 22**

**Sakura from 12 to 15**

**Naruto same as Sakura**

**Sasuke 13 – 16**

**It's kind of confusing right now, but it will become clearer later on! I promise! Haha!

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**Chapter Two: As Simple As That**

Kakashi walked down the street, ahead of his students who were completely confused about his sudden attitude.

Sakura bit her lip, wondering still about what the village of flames had to do with her. She quickened her pace, and fell into step beside her sensei.

"Um, sensei?" Sakura asked.

"What?" Kakashi snapped at her, he stopped, turned and glared at her.

Sakura jumped, and her eyes grew wide. She stopped, her head hung, and she spoke softly, "I'm…I'm sorry, it's nothing."

Kakashi could of kicked himself, his features softened, as he looked upon his student, "No, I'm sorry, Sakura. I shouldn't take my anger out on you."

Sakura didn't reply.

Kakashi stared at her for a second then asked, "So, what was it you wanted, Sakura?"

Sakura once again, but her lip, she looked up into her sensei's eyes, and spoke, "What do I have to do with the village hidden in the flames?"

Kakashi's face, for a split second, changed, and changed so fast, Sakura couldn't tell what emotion had come across it.

"Nothing," Kakashi answered, "You don't have anything to do with the flames. So, don't worry about it."

"Then why did you tell the Hokage that he shouldn't be sending me there?" Sakura asked.

"It's not a nice place, Sakura," Kakashi answered, thinking quickly.

Sakura looked at him for a moment then sighed, and shrugged, "Whatever."

Kakashi let out a small breath, as Sakura began to walk once more. She walked pasted him, and Naruto, and Sasuke followed. As she did, though, her hand brushed against his, sending a thousand electrifying little sparks up his arm.

Sakura felt nothing, she continued to walk, with Naruto and Sasuke as Kakashi stared after her, thinking, _have you really forgotten Sakura, about me, about us, about…everything?_

Kakashi watched sadly, as Sakura disappeared, in the crowd of the street. He had always wished that she would remember those times…back then.

_Flashback…_

_A young, thirteen-year-old, Sakura walked around the living area of an apartment, looking every which way. Her short pink hair was braided in two little pigtails. She wore a white sundress, with mint green flowers all over it._

_Sakura looked amazingly cute, except, for her little arms, that had bandages wrapped around them, from the few tips of her hands, to the top of her shoulders. Sakura, of course, never mention them, never cared that she was almost, abnormal with them always on her arms._

_Sakura also had a few bandages on her face, legs, and everywhere else for that matter, but she didn't care, in any way._

"_Kakashi-kun!" Sakura called, "Where are you?"_

"_Come find me, Sakura!" A twenty-year-old Kakashi called back to her._

_Kakashi knew he was too old to be playing hide-and-go-seek, but for her, he'd do anything._

_Sakura turned as she zeroed in on the area his voice had come from. She ran towards the curtains, and pulled them back to reveal a young Kakashi without a headband covering his eye._

"_I found you, Kakashi-kun," Sakura said, smiling a cute bright smile._

_Kakashi smiled back at her then pulled her into the tangle of curtains around him, and hugged her tightly._

"_Sakura, you smile too much," Kakashi laughed._

_Sakura laughed, "No, I don't."_

"_Yes, you do," Kakashi confirmed._

_Kakashi got to his feet, and pulled Sakura up with him. They spent about five minutes untangling themselves from the curtains, but when they got free, Kakashi walked to the little kitchen of the apartment, and started to cook them dinner._

"_What's on tonight's menu?" Sakura asked running over to the counter and watching as he pulled things from the cupboards._

"_Um, I was thinking…" Kakashi started, scratching his chin, he then glanced at Sakura, and finally answered, "liver."_

"_Ewwww," Sakura said, pinching her nose, "That stuff smells icky."_

"_Icky?" Kakashi asked, laughing her choice of words._

"_Yes," Sakura answered, nodding her head, "Can't we have something that smells better."_

"_Something like you?" Kakashi asked, raising an eyebrow at her._

"_Kakashi-kun!" Sakura squealed, laughing, "You can't eat me."_

"_Can't I?" Kakashi asked, smirking at her._

"_No, you can't," Sakura said._

"_Well, I could," Kakashi, said, and he walked around the counter, arms reaching out, "All I'd have to do is…catch you!"_

"_Eeeek!" Sakura squealed, and she took off running through the apartment, while Kakashi chased after her._

_He found her in her room, hiding behind one of her large frilly pillows, Kakashi laughed._

"_Do you really think I can't see you there?" Kakashi asked._

"_Eeeek!" Sakura squealed, as Kakashi lunged at her and wrapped his arms around her._

_For about five minutes, Kakashi, and Sakura had a small wrestling match on Sakura bed._

"_Got you!" Kakashi said, diving at Sakura, she fell back onto the bed, and her hand flew out, and knocked a picture on her bedside table._

"_Mom! Dad!" Sakura shouted; Kakashi vaulted at the picture and caught it just before it hit the floor._

_Sakura let out a slow breath, "Thank goodness."_

"_Here you go," Kakashi said, handing the picture to Sakura._

_Sakura took it, and hugged it to her, "Thank you."_

_Kakashi sat against the wall bedside Sakura's bed, and glanced at her, "Do you remember anything about them?"_

"_No," Sakura answered, looking at the picture of a man with a pleasant smile, blond hair, green eyes, and an arm around a pink haired woman with blue eyes, and a bright smile._

_Kakashi stared at Sakura for a moment, and then said, "Well, let's go eat, shall we?"_

_Sakura looked up at Kakashi and smiled, "As long as it's not liver!"_

_Kakashi laughed, "Alright, no liver."_

_Sakura smiled, and got off the bed, and walked to her bedroom door, "Come on, Kakashi-kun."_

_She glanced back at Kakashi with a look in her eye that he had never seen before. It was a look of trust, happiness, contentment, and a look of the purest love that he had ever felt. Although they never spoke of it, they were in love. It was as simple as that. That look in her eye brought him happiness._

"_Kakashi-kun?" Sakura asked, "Kakashi?"_

_Huh? Kakashi thought, Kakashi? Just Kakashi?_

_Kakashi…Kakashi…Come on Kakashi Sensei._

"Huh?" Kakashi blinked, and was pulled from his memories

"Kakashi sensei!" An eighteen year old, Sakura called, from up the street, "Come on!"

Kakashi shook his head, and went to catch up to Sakura and the others, who were standing with her, "Coming."

Kakashi walked towards his students, staring directly at his former love, thinking only one thought, _will I ever see that look again?

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**A/N - Hey people, I hope you have been enjoying this story so far! I, also, hope that you with continue to read it! And review! Don't forget to review!**


	3. Bras, Panties, And A Wrap

**A/N – Anyone still out there reading? If there is then I send you hugs, and ever lasting thanks! I just couldn't think of what to write in this chapter, but I'm sure you'll agree that it was well worth that wait. XD

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**Chapter Three:**** Bras, Panties, And A Wrap**

_Recap… _

_"Kakashi sensei!" An eighteen year old, Sakura called, from up the street, "Come on!" _

_Kakashi shook his head, and went to catch up to Sakura and the others, who were standing with her, "Coming." _

_Kakashi walked towards his students, staring directly at his former love, thinking only one thought, _will I ever see that look again?

"Um? Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asked, staring at him in wonder.

"Hm? What is it, Sakura?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, it's just that…" Sakura's voice trailed off.

"What?" Kakashi asked again.

"It's just that you've been staring at me for the last half an hour," Sakura pointed out, "No offence, but it's kind of creepy."

"Huh?" Kakashi asked, and then he realized that his eyes were glued to her, "Oh, sorry."

Sakura glanced at Kakashi, "Is something wrong, sensei? About me coming on this mission?"

"It's just what I told you before," Kakashi explained quickly, "It's not the best place for a young girl, like yourself."

"Is that really all there is to it?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi looked over at her; _does she know I'm lying to her?_

"Yes," Kakashi answered, "That's all."

"Sensei! I know I may have been weak in the past," Sakura admitted, stopping in her walking to glare at her teacher, Kakashi had already stopped when she had spoke the word 'weak', "But that was before, I'm a lot stronger now!"

Kakashi stared at Sakura; suddenly her eyes went wide in surprise, "Kakashi sensei? Are you okay?"

"Why do you ask?" Kakashi asked her, not removing his gaze for her face.

"You have such a sad expression on your face," Sakura informed him.

"Oh, sorry," Kakashi apologize, and his one visible eye crinkled into a smile.

"That's better," Sakura, said, smiling back at him, "Now, where's Naruto and Sasuke?"

"Over there," Kakashi said after a moment, and he pointed towards the ramen stand where, indeed, Naruto was standing, and Sasuke was trying to pull him away.

"NARUTO, GET YOU BUTT OVER HERE!" Sakura shouted, "NOW!"

Naruto, and Sasuke, jumped at the tone of Sakura's voice.

"Coming!" Naruto called, and he and Sasuke, dashed to where Sakura stood.

"Sorry about that." Naruto apologized.

"Let's just go," Sakura said, "Come on you guys."

Sakura then lead the way down the street to where they had to separate to go their respective homes.

"Be at the front gates in one hour," Kakashi told his students, "That should be enough time to get everything together."

"Got it!" The students answered in unison.

"Alright," Kakashi said, nodding.

With that, the three students separated down the three separate streets, and Kakashi vanished in a poof of smoke.

Sakura arrived at her home in due time, she unlocked the front door, and walked into her apartment.

"Let's see, what will I need?" Sakura asked herself, looking around.

Sakura's apartment was quite spacious; the living room was a fair size, and it had a TV set on a low wooden table across from which was a dark, navy blue love seat sofa. Beside the sofa, was a wooden end table, on which sat a photograph of team seven. The slick, hard wood floor, though, was what Sakura loved the most about her apartment.

Sakura's eyes rested on the photo, she then walked over to it, picked it up and hugged it to her.

"I think I'll take you with me," Sakura said out loud; she held the picture out in front of her and smiled at it, "What do you think, would you like to come."

Like expected, the photo didn't answer Sakura's question. Sakura laughed, "I'm such an idiot! Asking a photograph if it wants to come on a mission with me…man, I'm beginning to scare myself…although, it would have been scarier if you had actually answer, right?"

Sakura stared at the picture, and laughed yet again.

"Yes, it would have been."

Sakura just about jumped right out of her skin, the photo fell from her hands and hit the floor, breaking the glass.

"Shit!" Sakura swore.

"Sakura, I don't think I've ever heard you swear, before," The voice spoke out.

Sakura swiveled around, ready to beat the snot out of whoever dared come into her home without permission.

"Whoa! Watch it, Sakura!" A surprised Kakashi said; dodging the fist Sakura had sent his way.

"Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asked with wide eyes.

"Did I startle you?" Kakashi asked, smiling at her, with a backpack slung over one shoulder, "I'm sorry, Sakura."

"Like hell your sorry," Sakura accused Kakashi, "You enjoy seeing me jump, don't you?"

"No, I don't enjoy seeing you jump," Kakashi informed her, "I think it's mildly humorous."

Sakura glared at Kakashi, and was then grasped by a fit of giggles. Kakashi looked on as she held her gut, and doubled over with laughter.

"Am I that funny?" Kakashi asked, after about five minutes of Sakura laughing.

Sakura's only answer was more laughing; Kakashi rolled his eyes, "I guess I am."

Hearing Kakashi's remark made Sakura laugh even harder then before, Kakashi laughed lightly at the sight of his student having such a riot.

After about ten more minutes, Sakura's giggles finally calmed down. She stood up, stretched, her back cracked a little from being hunched for so long. Sakura then took a few deep breaths and then looked at Kakashi.

"Done?" Kakashi asked.

"Yup, man that was funny," Sakura, said, beaming.

"I suppose," Kakashi, answered, "Now, are you packed, yet?"

"Oh!" Sakura exclaimed, "No, I'm not! Hold on a minute and I'll go get my things."

"Aww, can't I come, too?" Kakashi said in a childish manner.

Sakura who had already stared to walk towards her bedroom looked over her shoulder at Kakashi, "Um, I guess you can."

Kakashi blinked, he hadn't really been serious with that comment.

"Um, okay." Kakashi replied, and he followed Sakura down the hall of her apartment, to her bedroom door, she walked in, and he cautiously followed.

Kakashi's one visible eye looked around Sakura bedroom, taking in every detail of it. Compare to the living room, it was quite large, the walls were painted a soft blue. To the immediate right of the door was the closet. To the left of the door was a small sitting area, with a small circular dark blue rug in the middle of a mixture of light blue beanbag chairs, and small, blue cushioned, straight back chairs. Up the wall from the sitting area, was a large stereo system, in any other room it probably would of looked out of place, but somehow, it didn't look to bad in this particular room. Up from her closet, were a few dressers and bookcases. Finally across from the door, under the large window, was Sakura's bed, colored with deep blue sheets, and quilt.

"I'll only be a minute," Sakura said, going to her closet and pulling out a backpack.

"Take your time," Kakashi said, and he sat down on one of the straight back chairs. He placed his backpack beside him, and he watched as Sakura ran around packing her things.

"So, Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asked, as she went though her dresser drawers pulling out a pair of shorts and a couple tee shirts.

"Um, yeah?" Kakashi replied, staring at her as she moved over to her bed and neatly packed the shorts and shirts into the backpack.

"Why did you come here, anyway?" Sakura asked, looking over at Kakashi.

"I, um, was just, uh, making sure everyone was on time with their, uh, packing," Kakashi answered.

"Oh, um, okay," Sakura answered, leaving her pack on the bed as she walked back over to her dresser and pulled out a handful of bras and panties, "Kakashi sensei, do think I'll be able to do it?"

Kakashi's one visible eye widen in shock of Sakura's question, "WHAT?"

"The mission, do you like I'll be able to do it alright?" Sakura asked, looking at him curiously, undergarments still in her hand, "What do you think I meant?"

Kakashi didn't know how the hell Sakura wasn't red in the face from the way she had phrased her question, combined with the fact that she a handful of bras and panties that were every color under the sun. Kakashi, himself, could feel his cheeks growing hot, and he silently praised his mask for hiding that particular fact from Sakura.

"Um, sorry, I hadn't really heard you," Kakashi answer lamely.

Sakura looked at Kakashi with a puzzled face, "Alright, well, are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Huh?" Kakashi asked, and then he remembered, "Oh, right, the mission. Uh, yeah, I think you can handle it."

"Really?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah," Kakashi said, nodding.

Kakashi then watched in silence as Sakura packed her bras and panties into her backpack on her bed. She then went to her bookcase and took a shuriken holster, and a kunai holster off the top shelf, and packed that away, too.

"Now, what else am I missing?" Sakura asked one unparticular, "Oh! That's right!"

Sakura walked over to her bookcase once again, and from the top shelf she pulled down some bandages.

"You don't really need to bring bandages, Sakura," Kakashi informed her, "I always bring a medical kit with us on missions."

"What?" Sakura said looking over at Kakashi, "Oh, these aren't for wounds."

"What are they for then?" Kakashi asked, clueless to the fact that he didn't want to know the answer.

"To wrap my breasts," Sakura answered, with not so much as the slightest blush.

Kakashi was astounded that Sakura was able to say that with straight face. He then realized that he was staring at her, and he abruptly looked away.

Kakashi then heard the familiar sound of Sakura's giggles, and then they subsided as Sakura spoke to him, "I take it you didn't know that I wrapped my breast."

"Um, well, it's not something I would question you on, Sakura," Kakashi answered, his voice slightly higher then usual.

"I can't wear a normal bra when I train, and fight, Kakashi sensei," Sakura explained, "Even a sports bra doesn't keep my breasts in place. So, I wrap them."

Before Kakashi realized what he was asking, he blurted out, "So what's with the ones you packed?"

Sakura looked at Kakashi in silence for a moment, and Kakashi actually got flustered, "Um, that is, uh…"

"I understand, don't go making an idiot out of yourself, sensei," Sakura laughed, "I packed some bras because this mission isn't really about 'fighting' it's just about helping to rebuild a town, but I like to wear a wrap coming and going from a mission at least. You never know when you'll be attacked out of the blue. I need to be ready, I can't tell the person attacking to wait until I get out of my bra and into a wrap, now, can I?"

"Oh, um, no, I guess not," Kakashi stumbled over his answer.

"Right, so, yeah, I think I'm all packed, now," Sakura informed Kakashi, slipping the bandages into her pack, and picking it up.

"Oh, yeah, okay," Kakashi said, standing up, and picking up his own backpack, "We should get going, then."

"Yeah," Sakura agreed, smiling, and she then followed Kakashi out of her room, and her apartment to where Sasuke, and Naruto, were waiting for them.

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**A/N – I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know I sure enjoyed writing it! Ha ha! Well, until next time, please review!**


	4. What's wrong with me?

**A/N – Anyone still out there reading? If there is then I send you hugs, and ever lasting thanks! I just couldn't think of what to write in this chapter, but I'm sure you'll agree that it was well worth that wait. XD

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**Chapter Four: What's Wrong With Me?**

"Hey guys!" Sakura called as she and Kakashi approached the rest of Team Seven.

"There you guys are," Naruto said, "Come on, let's get going!"

"Why are you two coming together?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh, Kakashi had stopped by my place to make sure I was packing in good time," Sakura answered, smiling.

Sasuke and Naruto both looked to Kakashi, who shrugged with a laugh. Sasuke and Naruto glanced at each other, shrugged, and turned towards the gates of Konoha.

After about half an hour, the group was traveling through a thick forest. They kept their eyes and ears open, as usual, for signs of an enemy approaching. Today, however, it was sound of an enemy that came to their ears.

"What is that?" Naruto asked idiotically, as whimpers, and barks were heard from within the surrounding forest.

"Is that smoke?" Sakura asked, her keen eyes picking up on the small billow cloud that was raising from the bushes off to their left.

"Could it be a fire?" Sasuke asked.

"Wait here, I'll check it out," Kakashi said, and he disappeared from his spot, and reappeared closer to the smoke, "Yeah, there's a small cliff here and the forest below has caught fire!"

Sakura, and the rest of Team Seven made their way over to their Sensei, and they all peered down over the cliff. Like Kakashi had told them, the forest below the cliff was on fire. They looked at Kakashi, in completely truth they weren't allowed to stop to put out the fire; they were on a mission.

"Sensei, we can't just let this whole forest burn to the ground, and what about the dog?" Sakura asked, she stained her ears to hear the barks and whimpers, but they seemed to have disappeared, "I can't hear it anymore."

"Calm down, I'm sure it's fine," Kakashi assurred her.

"Hey, is that it?" Naruto asked pointing down the cliff to a tiny clearing where they could just make out the form of a golden lab laying on it's side.

"Oh no, we have to help it," Sakura exclaimed, and her heart being bigger then her mind at the moment, she decended the cliff in record time.

"Sakura! Get back here!" Kakashi called, but his words were lost to the wind as his female student was engulfed by the forest.

"What should we do, Sensei?" Naruto asked, glancing over at him.

"Stay here," Kakashi said, "That fire could engulfe that forest at any moment, and don't go thinking it can't, I've seen fire do crazier things, believe me."

With that Kakashi jumped down into the forest below, racing to find Sakura. He didn't like the idea of her being so close to fire, it almost, dare he think it, scared him.

_Obito, I swear I will keep my promise to you!_

Kakashi burst through a thick patch of trees to find Sakura kneeling beside the dog, doing her best to heal it's main wounds.

"Sakura!" Kakashi called, and rushed over to her.

"Shhhh," Sakura said, trying hard to concertrate her chakra.

"Don't 'shh' me Sakura!" Kakashi spoke in a stern voice, making Sakura look up in surprise; he'd never used that kind of tone with her before.

"But..."

"No 'buts', we have to go now," Kakashi said, and he took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"The dog..."

Kakashi sighed, dropping Sakura's hand now that she was upright, he bent down and picked the dog up in his arms, "Let's get out of here, then you can heal him."

Sakura was hesitant, but quickly nodded, and the two made their way to the cliff where Naruto, and Sasuke were waiting for them.

The two reached the cliff, but the fire was starting to do what Kakashi had predicted. It was spreading, fast.

"Come on!" Kakashi said to Sakura and began to jump up the cliff, from rock to rock.

Sakura followed, but she soon realized she'd used too much chakra trying to heal the dog. She couldn't keep up with Kakashi's pace, and she was slipping clumsily on almost every rock she jumped to. Kakashi seemed to realize Sakura wasn't close behind him, and turned to check. He quickly came back to her and crouch before her, Sakura didn't even think twice, and climbed onto his back, locking her arms around his neck. Sakura could feel the heat of the fire below on her legs and upper body, although her arms were surprisingly a netural tempature.

"Sensei...why am I...feeling so...weak..." Sakura asked, as her eyes threatened to shut, she was sure she hadn't used that much of her chakra.

"Stay awake, Sakura!" Kakashi's booming voice ordered.

Sakura opened her eyes fully, but they didn't stay that way long. They began to droop closed, and Sakura was having a difficult time just keeping her grip on Kakashi. Kakashi of course had no grip on her since his arm were ocuppied with the injured dog.

"I can't..." Sakura whispered, as her grip reached its limits.

"Hold on, Sakura, were at the top," Kakashi said, his was about a jump and a half away from where Naruto, and Sasuke watched fearfully.

"I'm...sorry..." Sakura breathed, and her hands slipped from around her sensei's neck, and her eyes fell closed, and her body plummeted to the firey forest below.

"SAKURA!" Kakashi shouted, as her body disappeared.

Kakashi dumped the dog onto the small ledge he'd been standing on and jumped down to find Sakura, praying the fall hadn't killed her.

"Sakura-chan!!!" Naruto screamed in horror as his beloved teammate fell.

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, a little more calmly then his blond friend.

Naruto began calming down, and approached the cliff, when Sasuke grabbed his arm.

"Sensei's got enough to worry about, without you going down there, too!" Sasuke said.

"I'm just getting the dog," Naruto explained, and he jumped down to the ledge where the dog lay, he picked it up and jumped back to where Sasuke stood.

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Kakashi dashed through the trees, trying to find Sakura, "Sakura!? Can you hear me?"

Kakashi then spotted a familar stream of pink hair. He rushed over and found Sakura sitting on her knees, he knelt beside her, and gave her body a quick scan. One of her arms were red with burn, but other then a few scratches, she looked unharmed.

"Sakura, come on," Kakashi said, reaching out to pick her up.

"Kakashi sensei?" Sakura spoke slowly.

"What is it, Sakura?" Kakashi spoke quickly.

"What's wrong with me?" Sakura asked quietly.

"What...do you mean...?" Kakashi was slow to comment.

Sakura lifted her gaze to the burning tree before her, then she took her hand an pressed it to the blazing bark. She didn't finch, she didn't gasp, she didn't recoil in anyway.

"Sakura..." Kakashi said.

"Answer me," Sakura said.

"...I don't know," Kakashi lied.

Sakura sighed, and took her hand away from the trees burning trunk, "I can't stand up."

Kakashi wondered for a minute about whether or not she was serious, or if it was just because she want someone to take care of her. Kakashi shook it off, and knelt down. He carefully picked her up, and starting back to Naruto, and Sasuke. Within seconds, Sakura was crying into his chest. He had been right, she had only wanted someone to hold on to, to be near her.

Kakakshi reached the cliff, and this time having a good grip on Sakura, scaled the it quickly, and landing softly beside Naruto who's face was streamed with tears. The dog that had been saved seemed to have regained it's senses and was standing obiediently beside Naruto. Sasuke looked as though he wanted to ask something, but his pride wouldn't let him. Of course, Kakashi knew the question without it being spoken.

"She's fine," Kakashi said, "Just a little shook up."

"Man, Sakura, you scared the living day lights out of me," Naruto spoke when he noticed Sakura's eyes were open.

Sakura didn't respond, she just clutched Kakashi vest in her hand, and stayed silent.

"It seems she can't walk," Kakashi explained, when Naruto looked from him to Sakura, and back again.

"Oh," Naruto said, in a dawning voice.

"Come on, we should head back," Kakashi said, getting up and turning to go back to Konoha.

"WHAT!?" Naruto shouted, "We can't go back! We have a mission to complete."

"Naruto we-" Kakashi tried to reason with his student.

"No! We haven't failed a mission before, and we're not starting, now!"

"But, Sakura-"

"It's okay," Sakura whispered, "I can't continue, my foot just got twisted a bit. I can try walking on it."

Sakura slowly wiggled out of Kakashi's arms, and stood on the ground, wobbling slightly, "See, I'm fine."

Kakashi sighed, knowing he couldn't win the current fight, "Okay, then lets just set up camp for today. By morning Sakura should be completely healed of her...twisted ankle."

"What about the fire?" Naruto asked.

"Can you not see those clouds, idiot?" Sasuke said, pointing to the dark clouds that were hovering in the sky above.

"Oh, okay then...how are we going to stay out of the rain?" Naruto asked.

"I'm sure there's a cave, or someplace we can stay the night," Kakashi said.

The others nodded in understanding, and went off in search of such a place. After a while, they heard the barks of their new found dog friend and they dicovered that it had found a deep cave behind a waterfall in the depths of the forest.

"Hey, good job, doggie!" Naruto eclaimed, and he stroked the dogs fur in gratitude, the dog barked happily.

"What are we going to do with it?" Sakura asked.

"Naruto, you know we can't take it with us," Kakashi said, knowing that was what his student was planning.

"Why not?" Naruto asked, "Kiba has Akumaru that he takes on missions, why can't I have a dog, too?"

"Akumaru is trained to be a ninja dog, this one isn't," Kakashi explained.

Naruto pouted, as he sat down in the cave. The others walked in and found their own little spots, Kakashi leaned against the wall by the enterance, Sasuke sat back against the wall at the far back of the cave, Naruto stayed where he was at the side wall, the dog's head resting in his lap. Sakura went and stood by Kakashi at the enterance, as the first drops of rain started coming down.

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**A/N – I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I know I sure enjoyed writing it! Ha ha! Well, until next time, please review!**


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